EHS WATER POLO: Hornets plan to make a splash

Enumclaw High girls water polo coaches Ken DeMan and Bob Averill are excited to have some experience in the pool.

Enumclaw High girls water polo coaches Ken DeMan and Bob Averill are excited to have some experience in the pool.

All-league, first-team picks Shaye Hogerhuis and Lindsay Bowden, who was also an all-state honorable mention, return for their senior seasons, Hogerhuis in goal and Bowden at driver. Bowden, who is currently finishing an exchange program in Australia and New Zealand, is also expected to play a role at two-meter defense. Bowden and Rachel Deonigi, who also returns for her senior season, will serve as captains. Breanna Flaquinti and Rose Johnson round out the returning seniors.

An experienced group of juniors also are back in the water including all-league honorable mention Erin Stucker, Ali Ballard, Alexis Firlotte, Alina Van Ruff and Kelsey Sonneson.

The Hornets finished the 2009 campaign 15-5 overall, 8-2 in the East Division of the South Sound Girls Water Polo League and earned their fourth consecutive trip to state. They added a seventh-place state finish to their sixth-place honors in 2006 and fifth in 2007 and 2008.

DeMan and Averill are working hard to fill the team’s 20-game schedule. The Hornets’ season starts with a jamboree at Wilson Saturday and a scrimmage March 18.